Due to the variable quality of many putative drinking water sources (e.g. public utility or group water supply scheme, well water), in general, such water is unpalatable for drinking, and in certain extreme cases may contain pathogens or contaminants, which can lead to serious illness. For example, some drinking water sources may contain harmful protozoa or bacteria such as Cryptosporidium, Giardia and E. Coli, which can cause illness upon consumption. Thus, there is an increased tendency for water for drinking purposes to be purchased in bottles or other suitable containers, and the purchase of such water can be quite expensive. For example, in the case of athletes who require a regular intake of large volumes of water when training, expenditure on bottled water can be particularly high.
The use of ceramics as a medium in filters is known, including filters for purifying liquid such as tap water. However, such ceramic filters vary in quality, are normally bulky and relatively non-portable, and cannot necessarily be relied on to remove pathogens, such as protozoa from the water. There is therefore a need for a filter which overcomes this problem.